Collapsible table with lock means for paired legs



Oct. 23, 1951 B. F. HAMILTON 2,572,474

COLLAPSIBLE TABLE WITH LOCK MEANS FOR PAIRED mass 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed July 23, 1948 2 id 14 J3 lllll' l llll Hlllll I TOP/V5715.

1951 B. F. HAMILTON 2,572,474

'COLLAPSIBLE TABLE-WITH LOCK MEANS FOR PAIRED LEGS Filed July 25, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 H I I m I III z? 82* UL 23 2f 26' 27 Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'COLLAPSIB'LE TABLE WITH L'OCK 'MEANS FOR PAIRED LEGS Bertis F. Hamilton, Columbus,,Ind.

Application July'23, 1948,'Ser'ia'l'No. 40,356

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to folding tables and has for its object the provision of an all-metal table which can .be simply and economically manufactured, which will have an attractive appearance, and which will be :sturdy and rigid when extended.

In carrying out my invention, I form the table with a sheet-metal top having a down turned peripheral flange. A pair of channel members are disposed against the lower surface of the top and are secured in place by attachment of their ends to the peripheral top-flange. The legs are formed in pairs, conveniently of metal tubing, the legs of each pair being rigid with a shaft pivotally supported from the channel members. Associated with each pair of legs is a U shaped brace 'or yoke the ends of which are respectively pivoted to the legs and the intermediate portion of which is received in slots in the vertical walls of the channels. Such slots are formed to hold the legs extended or to permit them to swing against the .lower face of the table. The legs are arranged so that when collapsed they will ccoperate with other elements of the table and be releasably retained in collapsed positions.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the table with the legs extended; Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the lower side of the table with the legs collapsed; Fig. 3 a fragmental view generally similar to Fig. l but on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmental section on the line 55 of Fig. 2, showing the legs in collapsed condition; and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

The table shown in the drawing comprise a top [0, of generally rectangular shape, having at its edges a downwardly extending peripheral flange ll. Desirably, the top and its flange are formed as a one-piece metal stamping. Extending longitudinally of the table and beneath the top are a pair of spaced reinforcing members l2 of channel cross-section having the ends of their flanges turned outwardly and secured to the flange ll of the table top as by means of rivets I3. Near their ends the two channels are provided in their flanges with upwardly opening, transversely aligned notches M which receive rock-shafts l5 and H5. The rock shaft i5 has secured to its end a pair of parallel inner legs I! while the rock shaft l3, which is longer than the shaft l5, has secured to its ends a pair of outer legs l8. The arrangement is such that when the legs are collapsed they occupy generally co-planar position with each inner leg dis posed between the adjacent channel 12 and the outer leg 18. Conveniently, the shafts l5 and i6 are formed of tubular material which is distorted adjacent the inner flange of the channels 12 to provide abutments 19 which, "by engagement with the channels, limit movement of each shaft axially of itself.

The bottoms of the notches l4 are semi-circular, conforming to the curvature of the shafts which they receive, and the shafts are held in the notches by U -sha-ped stirrups or yokes 253 each of which overlies its associated shaft within the channel 12 and is provided with out-turned feet ZI which-are secured to theweb of the channel 1-2 as by rivets 2|.

For the purpose of holding the legs extended, I "employ braces 22 and '23, each conveniently formed of metal rod bent into a general U-shape. The intermediate portion of such rod is received in :slots 24 formed in the flanges of the channels 12, while the ends of each brace are turned outwardly into substantial alignment for reception 111110165 in the inner faces of :the associated legs. At the outer end of each slot, it is provided with awshort extension 24 :(Fig. 3) inclined :down wardly and inwardly of the table to receive and retain the intermediate portion of the associated brace when the table is extended.

.To insure entrance of the intermediate sec tion of the :brace into :the slot-extensions '25" when the table is extended, and to insure that the brace will remain in the slot extensions until it is desired to collapse the table, I employ springs 25. Each of such springs is conveniently formed of a length of wire doubled on itself and having its ends formed to provide hooks 26 received in holes in the inner side of the adjacent stirrup 20. At its inner end the spring is provided with offsets 21 which extend outwardly through the slots 24 and with vertical offsets 28 which, by engagement with the flanges of the channels l2, locate the free end of the spring laterally. In side elevation each spring 25 is so formed that with the offsets 2? in engagement with the tops of the slots 24 the intermediate portion of the spring extends across the slot-extensions 2i in position to force the associated brace (22 or 23) into engagement with the bottoms of such extensions. In addition, the spring should be so formed that engagement with the bottom of the channel I2 will hold the oiisets 2i against the tops of the slots 24 when the table is collapsed.

To prevent the brace 23 from interfering with movement of the legs I! to collapsed position,

- its sides are bent downwardly near their outer ends, as indicated at 30 in Fig. 3; and for the purpose of providing similarity of appearance, the outer ends of the sides of the brace 22 may be similarly bent downwardly as indicated at 3| in Fig. '1. As will be clear from Fig. 5, the bends 30 at the outer ends of the sides of the brace 23 permit the inner legs I! to swing into generally co-planar relationship with'the outer legs 1L8 when the table is to be collapsed. I

Desirably, the outer legs [8 are so mounted at the ends of the shaft 16 that they diverge slightly, as shown in Fig. 2, so that some i'nthe slot-extensions 24', whereupon the legs may be swung to collapsed position.

I claim as my invention:

. A collapsible table, comprising a top having a depending peripheral flange, inner and outer pairs of legs pivotally mounted on said top near opposite ends thereof and swingable between collapsed positions within said flange and exftended positionsin which they project downwardly to; support the top, means for releasably holding the legs in their extended positions, said outer legs lying between the inner legs and said ward displacement of the outer ends of the legs 18 will be necessary to enable them to enter within the flange I l on the table top. Thedotte'd lines in Fig. 2 indicate the normal, or'unstressed,

positions of the outer legs [8, while the full-'- lines show the legs as forced together to enter into overlapping relationship with the flange l I. As a result of this arrangement, whenthe tionally against the faces of thefla nge- I l, th:us

holding the outer legs collapsed condition retain t i n rl s 1. eo l s ro tionl he brace 23 is so shaped at the bends 30-;thatit will bear resiliently as a detent on the outrsides of the legs I! when they are moved to collapsed position. r I V The table is shown collapsed in Figs. 2 5, and 6, the outer legs being held in collapsed-position -by friction with the inner faces of the flange, I

and the inner legs being held in position iby engagement with the outer end portions of the brace 23, as above set forth. The flange l l,: is de sirably wide enough that the legs-lie- 'witninits Verticallimits when collapsed. To extend the table, the inner legsand then the outer legs are swung outwardly about the axis of the respective shafts l and [6. In' this movement-,of'the legs the intermediate portions of the-brac1es-22fand 23 move outwardly in the slots 24' eventuallyengaging the springs 25 which urgegthem-downwardly. When-the intermediate brace-portions move into alignment with-the extensions 24' :of

the slots 24.; the springs 2-5; force them downwardly into such extensions-"and thus lock thelegs in extended position; .Whenthe table is to be collapsed, the braces 22 and 23 are forced upwardly about their axes'of attachment'w-ith the legs until their intermediate portions clear flange when thelegs are-in collapsed positions,

a nd being' so spaced that their free ends frictionally engage said-flange when the outer legs are in collapsed position, the means for holding the outerlegs in their extended positions including a. generally U-shaped brace having an intermediate portion and side portions the ends of which are pivotally connected to the outer legs,

. and means on said top guiding the intermediate legs 18 are collapsed their outer ends bear friebrace-portion as the .outer legs are swung between collapsed'and extendedpositions, the side portions of said brace being shaped to frictionally engage and releasably retain the inner legs when the legs are collapsed.

BERTIS F. 'I-I'AMTLTON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 161,597 Decker Apr. 6, 1875 882,064 Howlett Mar. 17, 1908 1,857,617 Berdon May 10, 1932 1,879,945 OConnor Sept. 27, 1932 1,901,732 Clark Mar. 14, 1933 1,966,344 Ha11owen' July 10,1934

1,985,284 Cuffel Dec. 25,1934

2,020,503 Hanson Nov. 12, 1935 2,131,594 Miller Sept. 27, 1938 2,374,670 Duke May 1, 1945 2,448,360 De Saussure Aug. 31, 1948 2,490,318 Padon Dec. 6, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain May 28, 1947 

